Spud-brace for dredges, &amp;c.



GL W. K'INGfH. GL HARDING & H. J. BARNHART. srrm BMGS Pon DREDGES, am. APPLICATION FILED MAY V190B. V 918,864, l' y Patented Ap1.20, 1909.

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G. W. KING, H. G; HARDING a H. J. BARNHART.

sPUD BRAGVB PoR DREDGBS, sw.

APPLIOATIGN ILED MAY 8, 1908.

George W'Aw, jf

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UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEroE.

GEORGE W. KING, OF MARION., OHIO, HUGH G. HARDIN-G, OF VINCENNES, INDIANA, AND HARRY .I. BARNHART, OF MARION, OHIO., ASSIGNORS TO THE MARION STEAM SHOVEL COMPANY, OF MARION, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

SPUD-BRACE FOR DREDGES, 65C.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that we, GEORGE W. KING, residing at Marion, in the county of Marion and State of Ohio, HUGH G. HARDING, residing at Vincennes, in the county of Knox and State of Indiana, and HARRY J. BARN- HART, residing at Marion aforesaid, citizens of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spud-4 Braces for Dredges and the Like, of which the following is a speciication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings. v

This invention relates to Spud-braces for dredges and the like, and the object of the invention is to provide a brace of this character which will extend between the upper part of the mast or A-frame and the bank of the ditch within which the dredge is being roperated which can be readily adjusted to accommodate the same to variations in the height of the bank and can be easily locked in its adjusted position; and further, to so construct and mount the brace that the construction and operation of the same will be very simple, and, at the same time, very strong and durable.

lfifith these objects in view our invention consists in certain novel features of construction and in certain parts and combinations hereinafter to be described, and then more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view of a dredge showing our brace in elevation; Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view, taken through the brace and locking mechanism; Fig. 3 is a 4side elevation of a portion of the brace, showing the locking mechanism; Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view of the rack carried by one member of the brace; Fig. 4a is a transverse, sectional view of the rack; Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of the locking mechanism; Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the same with the bearing caps removed; Fig. 7 is a detail view of the cam shaft; and Fig. 8 is a detail view of the locking dog.

In these drawings we have illustrated the preferred form of our invention and have shown the same as applied to a dredge ofordnary construction and comprising a hull 1 with the usual superstructure 2 and having Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led May 8, 1908.

Patented April 20, 1909.

Serial No. 431,694.

mounted thereon an upright member or A- frame comprising two arms 3, which arms are pivotally connected to the deck of the hull 1 on opposite sides thereof. This connection may be made in any suitable manner, but we prefer to provide the lower end of each arm 3 of the upright member with a depending lug 4, which is pivotally mounted between the upwardly extending lugs 5 carried by the base plate 6 which is rigidly secured to the deck of the hull 1 near the side thereof and which is also provided with an outwardly extending lug 6a. The arms 3 of the upright member are connected near their upper ends by means of a head casting 7 which 1s of ordi nary construction with the exception that it is provided on its opposite sides with lugs 8.

A brace, which may be of any suitable material, is connected to the upright member near the upper end thereof and extends therefrom to the bank on the adjacent side of the dredge and is so constructed that it can be readily adjusted to accommodate the same to the varying heights of the bank. To-this end, we prefer to construct this brace as herein shown, wherein it comprises two members, one slidably mounted within the other, the outer member or casing 10 being pivotally connected at its upper end to one of the lugs 8 of the head casting 7 and being preferably constructed of angle-irons 11 connected by side plates 12, as shown in Fig. 2. The second member, which is slidably mounted in the casing 10, preferably consists of a timber 13 of such a size as to fit snugly within the casing 10 and to have a free sliding movement therein. This slidable member 13 is preferably connected at its lower end to a supporting platform 13a which serves to prevent the same from sinking into the ground. This connection may be of any suitable character, but, in the present instance, w'e have shown the lower end of the member 13 as pivotally connected to the supporting plate 13a. The timber 13 is provided on its inner face with a rack 14 which may be of any suitable construction and of any suitable length, but is here shown as a toothed plate set into the inner face of the timber13 and secured therein by means of bolts I5 extending through the same and through the timber. The adjacent side of the casing'l() isprovided with an opening 16 arranged in alinernent with the rack 14- and adapted to register' therewith.

Suitable means are provided for locking the casing 10 to the slidable member 1.3 and this means preferably comprises a cam-operated dog adapted to be moved into and out of engagement with the teeth of the rack 111. ln the present instance, we have shown the casing 10 as having rigidly secured thereto a plate 17 provided with an opening 18 corresponding in width to the width of the slot 16 in the casing and arranged in alinenient therewith. rlhe late is also provided with outwardly extent ing flanges 19 which surround the opening 18 in the plate and form a guideway within which is slidably mounted a suitable dog 26 provided on its inner face with one or more teeth 21 adapted to engage the teeth 14 of the rack. This dog is preferably provided with a flat head 22 connected to the body portion thereof by a web 23 of a thickness considerably less than the width of the head 22 and having therein a transverse opening 211. 19, which forms the guideway for the dog 20, is preferably provided on two opposite sides thereof with suitable bearings 25 within which is journ'aled a cam shaft 26, which is retained therein by means of removable caps 27. Mounted on the shaft 26 and spaced some distance apart are two cams 28 adapted to extend on the opposite sides of the web 23 of the dog 20 between the body portion thereof and the head 22 thereof and so arranged as to engage either the head or the body portion of said dog when the shaft 26 is rotated, and, when. the shaft is rotated in one direction, to raise the dog out of engagement with the rack 14', thereby leaving the niember 13 free to move longitudinally of the casing 10, and, when the shaft is rotated in the opposite direction, to move said dogs positively into engagement with the teeth of said racl7 thereby locking the two members of the brace against movement relatively one to the other. rlhis shaft may be operated in any suitable manner, but we prefer to provide the same on one side of the guideway 19 with an elongated portion 29, to which is secured an arm 30 having mounted near the outer end thereof a pulley 31.

A cord or a cable 32 is secured to the casing 10 of thev brace at a point near the locking mechanism and extends outwardly about the pulley 31 carried by the arm 30, thence upwardly and over a guide 33 mounted on the casing 10, thence inwardly and over a suitable guide or pulley 34 supported from the A-frame or' other suitablepoint above the dredge and extending downwardly to a point where it can be reached from the deck of the hull 1. This arrangement is such that a downward pull on the inner end of the cable 32 will rotate the shaft in such a direc- The upwardly extending flange tion as to bring the cams 23 into engagement with the head of the dog and thus move the dog out of engagement with the rael; 14- and permit the two members of the brace to be adjusted relatively one to the other. The arm 30 is provided with suflicient weight to cause the same, when released, to move the shaft 26 in the opposite direction and thus move the toothed dog into engagement with the teeth of the rack and lock the two members of the brace against movement. This weight may be provided on the arm 3() in any suitable manner, but preferably by mal;- ing the pulley 31 of suliicient weight to serve as a counterweight. The eccentrics 2S are so arranged that when the teeth of the dog are in engagement with the teeth of the rack 141, the eccentrics will have moved slightly past the highest point thereof, thus Securely locking the dog in position and holding the teeth thereof rigidly in contact with the teeth of the rack. The slidable member of the brace will move downward by gravity and requires no mechanism for so adjusting it, and any suitable mechanism may be pre-- vided. for moving the same upwardly and shortening the brace. Tile have here shown a cable 35 secured at one end to the easing 1() or upper member of the brace and extending about a pulley 36, which is preferably connected by means of a rod 37 with the platform supporting the lower end of the slidable member 13 of the brace and thence extending upwardly over a suitable guide 3S carried by the uprightmemberor A-frame and thence extending downwardly to a point within reach from the hull of the dredge. Thus, a pull on the cable 35 will draw the lower end of the slidable member 13 toward the v[ixed member or casing 10 of the brace. lhe lower end of the brace may be maintained in its proper lateral position relatively to the dredge by any suitable. means, but we have here shown an arm 3) connected at one end to the lower end of the slidable member 13 of the brace and at its other end to the outwardly extending lug 6l on the base plate which is secured to the hull of thc dredge. This connection is preferabl)v a detachable one and is, in the present instance, formed by means of a pin 40 extending through the end of the arm 3.() and through the lug` 6, thus enabling the end of the arm 3S) to be detached from the dredge when this may be found desirable.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that we have provided a. spudbrace for dredges and similar devices which is adapted to extend between the mast head or the upper part el the A-frame and the bank of the ditch in which the dredge is operating and that this spud-brzuve is so constructed that it can be readily adjusted lo adapt the same to wide variations in the height of the banli of the ditch, and, when so l. (i t) adjusted, will be locked rigidly in its adjusted position; and further, that we have so constructed the brace that the same is exceedingly simple both in its construction and operation and is capable of being built of strong durable materialwithoutv the necessity of making the parts unwieldy or of a great weight. 1

We wish it to be understood that we do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we'claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the, character described, the combination, with a hull, and an upright member carried thereby, of a brace secured near its upper end to said upright member and having its lower end adapted to engage the ground at one side of said hull, means for adjusting said brace to vary the distance between the lower end thereof and its point of connection to said upright member and means extending to a point aboveV said hull for controlling said adjusting means.

2. Ina device of the character described,

the combination, with a hull, and an upright member carried thereby, of a two part brace having one part thereof connected to said upright member and the other part thereof a apted to engage the ground at one side of lsaid hull, and means for slidably connecting the two parts of said brace one to the other.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination, with a hull, of a two part brace having one part thereof connected with said hull and the other part thereof adapted to engage the ground, means for slidably connecting the two parts of said brace one to the other, and means for locking the same in their adjusted positions.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination, with a hull, and an upright member carried thereby, of a brace comprising a fixed member, a second member slidably mounted on said fixed member, and means for securing said slidable member in its adjusted position relatively to said xed member, one of said members being connected to the upright member on said hull and the other of said members being adapted to engage the ground at one side of said hull.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination, with a hull, and an upright member carried thereby, of a brace comprising a fixed member secured to said upright member, a second member slidably mounted on said fixed member and having its lower end adapted to be supported on the ground at one side of said hull, and means carried by said fixed member for locking the slidable member in the desired position relatively thereto.

` fixed member, and means for positively moving said dog into and out of engagement with the teeth of said slidable member.

8. In a brace of the character described, a fixed member, a member slidably mounted in said fixed member and provided with teeth, of a dog slidably supported on said hollow member, and cam-operated means for moving said dog into and out of engage- `ment with the teeth of said slidable member.

9. In a brace of the character described, a hollow member having an opening therein, a second member slidably mounted in said hollow member and provided with teeth adapted to move across said opening, and a locking device mounted on said hollow member and comprising a dog adapted to be moved through said opening and into engagement with the teeth on said slidable member.

10. In a brace of the character described, a hollow member having an opening therein, a member slidably mounted in said hollow member and having teeth adjacent to the opening in said hollow member, and a locking device carried by said hollow member comprising a plate secured thereto and having a guideway extending transversely of said brace, a dog mounted in said guideway and adapted to engage the teeth of said slidable member, a shaft supported near said plate, and cams carried by said shaft adapted to actuate said dog.

11. In a brace of the character described, the combination, with a hollow member, and a second member slidably mounted in said hollow member and provided with teeth, of a locking device carried by said hollow member and comprising a late secured thereto, outwardly extending anges carried by said plate and forming a guideway, a dog slidably mounted in said guideway, a shaft j ournaled in said flanges, and a cam carried by said shaft and adapted to engage said dog to move the same out of or into engagement with the teeth of said slidable member.

12. In a brace of the character described,

' the combination, with a hollow member, and

a member slidably mounted therein and provided with teeth, a locking device carried by said hollow member and comprising a plate having outwardly extending flanges forming a guideway, and a dog slidably mounted in said guideway and having a reduced portion between the ends thereof, a shaft mounted in said flanges and extending transversely of said dog, and a cam carried by said shaft and adapted. to engage said dog at either end of said reduced portion to move the same into or out of engagement With the teeth of said slidable member.

13. In 'a brace of the character described, the combination, with a hollow member, and a member slidably mounted within said hollow member and provided With teeth, of a locking device carried by saidv hollow member vand comprising a plate secured thereto, outwardly extending flanges carried by said plate and forming a guic'leivay, a dog slidably mounted in said guideyvay and having a head connected to the body portion thereof by a relatively narrow web, a shaft mounted in said flanges and having cams lying on the opposite side of said Web and. adapted to engage either the body portion or the head of said dog to move the same into or out of engagement With the teeth of' said slidable member.

14. In a brace of the character described, the combination, with a fixed member, and a member slidably mounted relatively thereto and provided with teeth, of a cam-operated locking device carried by said fixed member and adapted to engage the teeth of said. slidable member.

15.Y In a brace of the character described, the combination, with a fixed member, and a member slidably mounted relatively thereto and provided with teeth, of a locking device comprising a member adapted to engage said teeth, and means for moving said member into and out of engagement With said teeth.

16." In a brace of the character described, the combination, with a fixed member, and a member slidably mounted relatively thereto and provided With teeth, of' a locking device carried by said fixed member and comprising a part adapted to engage said teeth, and a lever carried by said fixed member and adapted to move said part into and out of engagement With said teeth.

17. In a brace of the character described,

the combination, of a fixed member, and a l member slidably mounted relatively to said xed member, one of said members having teeth, a locking device carried by the other member and comprising a part adapted to engage said teeth, and means for moving said part into and out ol' engagement with said teeth.

1S. In a device of the character described, the combination, with a hull, any upright member mounted thereon, a brace secured to said upright member near the upper end thereof and having its lower end adapted to be supported on the ground at one side of said hull, and an arm connected at one end With the lower portion of said brace and detachably connected at the other end to lsaid i hull.

19. In a device of the character described, the combination, with a hull, a base plate secured thereto, an upright member pivotally mounted. on said base plate, a brace secured at one end to said upright member and having its other end adapted. to be supported on the ground at one side of said hull, and an arm secured at one end. to the lower portion of said brace and at its other end to said base plate.

20. A brace of the character described comprising a fixed member, a member slidably connected to said fixed member, and a locking device carried by one of said members and adapted to lock said members against movement relatively one to the other.

21. A brace of the character described comprising a fixed member, a member slidably connected to said fixed member, and a cam operated locking device carried by one of said members and adapted to lock said members against movement relatively one to the other.

In testimony.whereof We affix our signatures in the presence of two Witnesses.

GEORGE W. KING. .HUGH G. HARDING. HARRY J. BARNHART.

Witnesses to the signatures of George lV.

King and Harry J. Barnhart:

Geo. A. CHENEY,

, EARL C. SMITH. Witnesses to the signature ol llugh G. f Harding:

1V. H. MURPHY, i C. D. MiTCnELL. 

